Perhaps because they're a big part of every Christmas season, trees have been on my mind lately. When not decorating our homes, trees are life-sustaining and long-lasting but vulnerable to fire-prone temperatures as well as the constant construction that is happening in my world. I have watched healthy trees cut down and seen the snaggly dinosaur teeth of machinery yank out roots with no thought to the importance of a tree. Mitigating climate change, trees remove carbon dioxide from the air, storing the carbon within the tree itself and the surrounding soil, to then release oxygen into the atmosphere. This is one reason why Canada has plans to plant 2 billion trees over 10 years. Below are a few modest, some might say hallowed, trees in my neighbourhood.
Trees provide us with an array of gifts.
People find santuary under trees; some pin their starry-eyed wishes onto the branches.
Trees offer shade from the sun and a canopy when it rains.
Strong branches can make the perfect swing, inviting young and old to be playful.
Some trees bear apples and others baubles.
Even when leaves fall, bare branches sway in the breeze with unwavering symmetry.
Trees decorate the sky with little fanfare, softening the harshest parts of solar glare.
Woodsy trees have many uses.
Lumber is the major resource for home builders and birds alike.
Many items can be created from the warm woodiness of a tree.
Most fences in British Columbia are, indeed, crafted from wood.
Trees have a clever way of replicating themselves.
Pets are attracted to trees like bees to honey.
Many in my neck of the woods prefer big trees to big houses.
A walk among the trees brings us back to our oneness with nature.
Trees need to be rooted in proper soil to accomplish the jobs they were meant to do. We don't want them to burn or fall in a storm. It was many years ago when Franklin D. Roosevelt said:
"A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people."
We love our big beautiful trees here in Florida and even when houses are built, they try to preserve every one of them . Happy New year!
ReplyDeleteI love trees. They offer beauty, shade, shelter, warmth, transportation (ships), fragrance, food, sweetness, material for building and art, protection and likely more.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI love the tree and I am a tree hugger. I would much prefer a big tree over a big house.
Builders should be made to plant a new tree for every tree they take down. More trees means more clean air and homes for the wildlife. Love the cute doggie. Great post, Maria. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a safe and happy weekend. Best wishes for a Happy and Healthy New Year! PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.
We are fortunate to have several trees: 2 large cottonwoods, a River Birch, that's not doing so well, and have had it treated several times. A Blue Spruce,a Honey Locust and a Silver Maple that has also needed treatment , plus a small Apple. We love having them surround us. But just like us humans they have a life span of their own and will eventually die :( I was heartbroken when a previous neighbor cut down a beautiful huge Spruce tree to put in a gravel driveway! ouch!
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ReplyDeleteLoved your heartwarming ode to trees! Your photos are perfect. Happy New Year!
A nice post about fascinating trees!
ReplyDeleteWonderful way to honor the trees with your gorgeous photos and New Year post ~ they are a lifeline for us all ~ Happy New Year to you ~ hugs, to you and trees ~
ReplyDeleteWishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
Trees are spiritual, even in areas where there are not many of them.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos! Your post reminded me of a book I always enjoyed reading with the kids called "The Giving Tree."
ReplyDelete...I'm a tree guy, I was owned a nursery for 50 years!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos.
ReplyDeleteLoved your poetry and the hallowed hollowed tree.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and captions!
ReplyDeleteI would rather be in a forest of trees than in a city with skyscrapers but where I am that is where I bloom.
ReplyDeleteYou know, those of us who have spent our entire lives with nature, hence with forests, have always felt the therapeutic essence of trees, without ever having concepts like forest bathing explained to us. We knew that they were becalming places, filled with wonder and they remain so today. It is incredible that the assault on old growth forests still continues for planks, pulp and a few pay cheques. In the process the patrimony of all the world is destroyed. Gone forever. Until humans are gone that is - then the forest will recover.
ReplyDeleteI love photos of bare branches in silhouette! Is that a Doodle? I used to have a Goldendoodle. Sweet.
ReplyDeleteI think it is a Doodle. I felt its sweetness when I walked by. :)
DeleteI like size of trees.
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